Obviously the philosophy can change, but the Mets plan to pick up Jose Reyes’ club option this winter and explore signing him to another long-term deal, a person familiar with the team’s thinking told The Post yesterday.
Reyes ideally wants to stay in New York long-term, but he said yesterday that next year is not even on his mind yet and a long-term contract is too far away to consider.
“We need to wait and see,” he said.
Reyes is the longest-tenured Met, but there’s actually no guarantee he’s on next season’s team; his four-year $23.25 million pact is expiring, and there’s only an $11 million club option for 2011.
It is possible Reyes is in the midst of his final 45 games as a Met, though he insisted he is not looking at his status for next year.
“Right now I don’t think about that,” he said.
However, he will not complain about his 2011 salary if the Mets exercise the option. He won’t be a Manny Ramirez or a Darrelle Revis and become a disgruntled player.
The 27-year-old Reyes, whose homer delivered the Mets’ only run in last night’s 3-1 loss to the Phillies, said he wants to stay in New York.
“I want to finish my career here,” he said. “But this is a business.”
Today marks the 11-year anniversary of the day the Mets signed Reyes at 16.
The Mets’ deadline on Reyes’ option is Nov. 15. Assuming they exercise it, they would have further options. The Mets could sign him to a long-term deal that replaces the option. They could explore trades. Or they could fail at reaching or simply pass on a long-term deal and re-evaluate the relationship during or after next season.
In a sense, Reyes has rebounded from last year’s injury-marred 36-game debacle. But the three-time All-Star has had an uneven campaign. He has dealt with a thyroid condition that shelved him for most of spring training and the start of the season as well as an oblique problem.
“I know I can be better,” he said.
mark.hale@nypost.com